Yesterday we received some very discouraging news regarding budget from City Managers Office. The proposed reduction of parks budget is severe if not catastrophic. It will include closing of Mt Airy Forest on July 1, 2013 including the disc golf course. If you or any other disc golf course users want to speak on the park boards behalf please plan on attending the Public Budget Hearings at Duke Energy Center 6pm on Monday 5/13/13. Myself and the other Club Officers will be attending to speak on our side of things but please feel free to attend for a show of support. There are many other parks that will be closing, like Caldwell and Seymour, plus all restrooms will be closed, all floral beds, and mowing cycles cut in half with other definite cuts I don`t know of yet. What this means is, if something drastic doesn`t change in the budget very soon, No more Mt.Airy DGC for at least a year and probably more. Baskets, signs and other course materials will be removed and stored until the park reopens sometime in the future. Please help us spread the word, we will be planning for the worst and hoping for the best.

Below is an email that I received from the office of Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls assistant in regards to the above:

Mr. Miller:

Thank you for your email. The City Manager’s recommended budget does not close any parks. Although the Manager presented an option that uses alternative funding sources to keep the parks open, the Park Board rejected that plan and passed an alternative budget that closes many parks. City Council appropriates money for the parks, but the Park Board decides how to spend it. I’m sure much of the next two weeks will be spent trying to reconcile the conflicting budgets. Vice Mayor Qualls supports keeping the parks open.

Choose who to send the e-mail to. Cincinnati City Council Subject Park Cuts Body You should all be ashamed of yourselves for wanting to cut park money while trying to ram the the street car project down our throat. You should all lose your positions. This is terrible. Check here for how you would like The Enquirer to use your e-mail Research and publication

- The hearings actually start at 6:30 pm. Please get there early no later than 6:00 pm.- We expect that hearings will be packed. If you are going to attend and speak get there even earlier to fill out your speaker cards. They allow the speakers to speak in the order the cards are turned in. Otherwise you will be waiting a long time to speak.